Shipment of Northwest pears on way to China
YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) - The first shipment of Northwest pears is on its way to China under a new trade agreement.
The Yakima Herald-Republic reports the agreement was reached last summer and final terms were published last week.
A container ship is carrying as many as 3,600 boxes of pears. Each box weighs about 44 pounds.
The president and chief executive officer for the Pear Bureau Northwest in Portland, Kevin Moffitt, hopes the market in China will grow to as many as 300,000 boxes a year.
The Northwest exports about 7 million boxes of pears annually. Mexico, Canada and Russia are the top customers.
Washington is the nation's largest producer of pears with 48 percent of domestic production, according to the state Department of Agriculture.
The Yakima Herald-Republic reports the agreement was reached last summer and final terms were published last week.
A container ship is carrying as many as 3,600 boxes of pears. Each box weighs about 44 pounds.
The president and chief executive officer for the Pear Bureau Northwest in Portland, Kevin Moffitt, hopes the market in China will grow to as many as 300,000 boxes a year.
The Northwest exports about 7 million boxes of pears annually. Mexico, Canada and Russia are the top customers.
Washington is the nation's largest producer of pears with 48 percent of domestic production, according to the state Department of Agriculture.
I'm wondering: How long will it be until they grow them and send them back to us at 1/3 the price?
Pears exchanged for debt free?
Meanwhile back in the state that produces the nations most pears and apples, the local consumers get the cr**py imported versions.
Hey - someone's gotta keep that trade imbalance lopsided...
@aintno1special Or cold storage fruit that is pretty old...
 @robmo  @aintno1special Mmmmm...pithy and mealy fruit, my favorite!
Good news for the Farmers who grow pears. I didn't realize Washington was the largest producer. I kind of thought it would be Oregon around Medford since that's where Harry & Davids is located.
"In other news, I woke up this morning at 6:30am..."
Are we going to paint them with lead based paint?
At least China can be assured that the pears are not laced with toxic chemicals.
Yay?